Solenoid assembly

ABSTRACT

In a solenoid assembly of the type wherein a solenoid coil is connected to an external conductor, through a terminal connector there are provided an insulation substrate including a connector connected to the external conductor and a contact piece spaced apart therefrom and connected to the coil, and a plurality of contact plates adapted to be selectively combined with the insulation substrate. The contact plates are provided with circuit elements of different type, each circuit element bridging the connector and the contact piece when a selected contact plate carrying the circuit element is combined with the insulation substrate.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,784,882 Niwa [4 7 Jan. 8, 1974 [54] SOLENOID ASSEMBLY 1,173,540 2/1916 Seeley 317/117 x [75] Inventor: Hideo Niwa, Nagoya, Japan I Primary Examiner-J. D. Miller Asslgnee? Yuken Kogy Assistant Examiner-Harry E. Moose, Jr.

Kanagawa'ken, Japan Attorney- Flynn and F rishauf [22] Filed: Sept. 27, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 292,512 [57] ABSTRACT In a solenoid assembly of the type wherein a solenoid [30] Foreign Application Priority Data coil is connected to an external conductor, through a Sept. 30 1971 Japan 46/76680 terminal connector there are Pmvided an insulation v substrate including a connector connected to the ex- 52 s c 317/157 317 101 CB 317 101 CM ternal COHdLlClOI and a contact piece spaced apart 51 1m. (:1. H0lh 47/02 therefrom and connected to the coil, and a plurality of 58] Field of Search 317/101 CM, 101 D, contact plates adapted to be selectively combined with 9 DH C1 the insulation substrate; The contact plates are PTO- 157 vided with circuit elements of different type, each circuit element bridging the connector and the contact [56] References Cited piece when a selected contact plate carrying the cir- UNITED STATES PATENTS cuit element is combined with the insulation substrate. 3,054,024 9/1962 vaiinmen et al 317/101 1) 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures f r 7, 241g 26 27 259904 l6b 8 29 28 PAIENTED JAN 81974 sum 1 [IF 5 PATENTEU JAN 81974 SHEET 2 OF 3 1 SOLENOID ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a solenoid assembly for actuating a driven element, for example a valve, and more particularly to an improved construction of a terminal structure for supplying current to the solenoid coil.

In the conventional solenoid valve it is usual to provide a terminal board for connecting the solenoid coil to external conductors. However, in the following cases it is necessary to use terminal boards of special designs:

I. To operate a solenoid coil designed for DC use with alternating current, 1

2. To incorporate a protective device into the solenoid coil,

3. To provide a display device which indicates that the solenoid coil is energized or not, and

4. To provide connecting means so that the solenoid coil may be connected to or disconnected from a source of supply. To this end, the makers of electrical apparatus are now designing various types of terminal boards for respective applications, thereby increasing the cost of manufacturing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide an improved solenoid assembly which can be readily assembled at a low cost and incorporating one or more design features described above.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved solenoid assembly in which any desired combination of the design features can be readily incorporated and such combination can be readily altered.

These and other objects can be accomplished according to this invention by providing a solenoid assembly wherein a coil for actuating a driven member such as a valve is connected to an external conductor through a terminal connector,'characterized in that there are provided a connector for the external conductor, a contact piece spaced apart from the connector and connected to the coil, an insulation substrate for supporting the connector and the contact piece, and a plurality of contact plates adapted to be selectively combined with the insulation substrate, the contact plates including circuit elements of different type, each circuit element bridging the connector and the contact piece when a selected contact plate carrying the circuit element is combined with the insulation substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 shows an elevation, partly insection, of a solenoid valve embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a terminal board utilized in the solenoid valve shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a contact plate;

FIG. 4 is a connection diagram showing the electrical connection between various elements shown in FIG. 1 and the solenoid coil; and

FIG. 5 and 6 show connection diagrams of different embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a casing 1 containing a valve,

not shown, of a well known construction actuated by a solenoid coil to be described later. A frame 2, ordinarily made of a metal sheet, is secured to one side of the casing l to support an insulation base 3 which in turn supports connectors 4 for external conductors. Each connector 4 comprises conductive seats 5, washers 6 and clamping screws 7, and connecting pieces 8 which are formed integral with the seats. Independent contact pieces 9 are mounted on the insulation substrate or base 3 with a predetermined spacing A between contact pieces 8 and 9. Each contact piece 9 is connected to sockets 9. A solenoid mechanism of a known construction is contained in the casing 10 which houses a stationary core 11, a coil 12, lead wires 13 of the coil, and a plug supporting member 14 made of an insulator fastened to a base plate 10. There are also provided plugs 15 adapted to be inserted in the sockets 9' which are connected to the coil '12 via lead wires 13.

A contact plate .l6a shown in FIG. 3 is provided. As shown, the contact plate 16a comprises an insulator base plate 17 adapted to cover a recess formed in the valve casing l, and a plurality of projections 17 integral with the base plate 17 and adapted to hold circuit elements 18 shown as U-shaped metal strips 18 adapted to electrically interconnect contact pieces 8 and 9, and a plurality of perforations 19 for the screws used to fasten the base plate 17 to the valve casing.

As shown in FIG. 1 an insulator contact plate 16b for a protector and including a recess 26 for accommodating curcuit elements is removably mounted on the valve casing 1. An insulator projection 27 is formed integral with the contact plate 16 and mutally insulated contact pieces 28 and 29 are bonded to the opposite sides of the projection 27. An opening is formed on the top of the projection and the inner wall of this opening is lined with a contact piece 29. In the recess 26 are contained a heater 20, a thermal contact 21, a neon lamp 22, or a current limiting resistor 23 which are connected to contact pieces 28 and 29 as diagrammatically shown in FIG. 4.

A contact plate 16c for lampsis'provided with a recess 36, a downwardly projecting contact piece 33 and a contact 34 on the upper surface.- Neon lamps 22 and current limiting resistors 23 connected as shown in FIG. 4 are contained in the recess 26 and 31 and translucent windows 24 are provided for contact plates 16b and 16c at portions facing to neon lamps 22.

A connector contact plate 16d is provided with a recess 36 and a downwardly projecting contact piece 38 adapted to be received in contact 34. A socket 39 is provided with contact pins 39 which are connected to the above described contact pieces in a manner shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 1, contact plates 16b, 16c and 16d are interchangeably stacked up overlapping casing l and are removably secured to valve casing 1. Although one example of mounting these contact plates upon the valve casing or other structure is shown, it is to be understood that each contact plate is provided with suitable projections, perforations and contact pieces which are necessary to provide spacings corresponding to spacings A shown in FIG. 1 in order to enable to an electrical connection to be made as shown in FIG. 4 or to enable an interchange of these contact plates.

A plug 40 removably received in the socket 39' includes a cover 43 which covers screws (not shown) 3 adapted to connect conductors of a source cable 41 to pins 39.

In operation, external conductors are connected to respective connectors 4 shown in FIG. 2. Where it is desired to directly supply electric power to solenoid coil 12 it is only necessary to mount the contact plate 16a shown in FIG. 3 on the casing. Then each projection 17 is received in spacing A between contact pieces 8 and 9 whereby connectors 4 and the coil 12 are interconnected through contact pieces 8, conductive pieces 18, contact pieces 9, plug 15 and lead wires 13.

Where it is desired to attach a safety device to the solenoid valve, protector contact plate 16b is used in which case four projections 27 of the contact plate16b are received in the spacings A, FIG. 2. Then, as can be readily understood, connectors 4 and the solenoid coil 12 are interconnected through thermal contacts 21 and heaters 20.

Further, where it is desired to combine a display lamp with the solenoid, lamp contact plate 16c may be mounted on protector contact plate 16b as shown in FIG. 1 or directly upon casing 1, thereby connecting neon lamp 22 across the solenoid coil for indicating the energization of the coil 12.

In the modified arrangement shown in FIG. 5, contact plates 16b and 16c shown in FIG. 1 and 4 are removed and contact plate 16d is directly mounted on the solenoid casing 10. In the modified embodiment shown in FIG. 6, rectifiers 42 for supplying direct current to solenoid coils 12 are contained in a contact plate 16e. Contact plate 16d constructed as above described may be superposed upon contact plate 16c. Alternatively, the external source may be connected to connectors 4. With any arrangement it is possible to supply direct current to solenoid coils 12. In the accompanying drawing, the same or corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals in order to simplify the description. Further, suitable dowel pins or cooperating projections and recesses may be provided at the interface between adjacent contact plates so as to assure correct assembling. Contact pieces may be made of resilient elements to ensure firm mechanical connections between superposed contact plates.

As above described according to this invention, since connectors 4 for external conductors and contact pieces 8 spaced apart therefromare interconnected by any desired circuit element it is possible to connect the solenoid coil directly to the source (by using contact plate 16a), to energize a DC solenoid coil from an AC source (by using contact plate 1 6e), to provide a safety device for the solenoid coil (by using contact plate 16b) or to provide a connector structure connecting the solenoid coil to the source through a plug-socket connector (by using a connector 16d). Similary, any desired circuit element can be associated with the solenoid coil. By stacking various types of connecting plates it is possible to readily assemble terminal structures of various types.

I claim:

I. A solenoid assembly comprising:

a coil for actuating a driven member;

a body member carrying said coil and said driven member;

a connector for an external conductor;

a contact piece spaced apart from said connector and connected to said coil;

an insulation base carried by said body and overlapping said body for supporting said connector and said contact piece; and

a plurality of contact plates carrying different types of circuit means and adapted tobe selectively combined and interconnected with said insulation base and to overlap said body, said insulation base maintaining said contact plates spaced from said coil, said contact plates each including connecting means coupled to said circuit means of different types, said connecting means electrically coupling with said connector and contact piece when said plates are combined with said insulation base such that the circuit means of a contact plate bridges said connector and said contact piece when a selected contact plate carrying said circuit means is combined with said insulation base.

2. The solenoid assembly according to claim 1 wherein said contact plates are provided with a safety device, an indicator, a rectifier, a plug-socket connector, respectively, and are combined with said insulation base singly or in combination.

3. The solenoid assembly according to claim 1 wherein said connecting means of said plurality of contact plates comprise interfitting'contact pieces at their mating surfaces.

4. The solenoid assembly according to claim 1 wherein said connecting means of each of said contact plates comprises a projection adapted to engage between said connector and contact piece, and a pair of conductors respectively contacting said connector and contact piece, said conductors being coupled to said circuit means of said contact plate.

5. The solenoid assembly according to claim 4 wherein each of said connecting plates comprises receptacle means for receiving a projection of another of said contact plates. 7 I

6. The solenoid assembly I according to claim 5 wherein said receptacle means includes contact means adapted to electrically couple to'said contact piece and said connector, and adapted to receive said projection means of another contact plate for electrically connecting the circuit means carried by said another contact plate with said contact piece and connector.

7. The solenoid assembly according to claim 1 wherein said insulation base is spaced from said coil and is laterally offset with respect to the axis of said coil.

8. The solenoid assembly according to claim 7 wherein said insulation base is laterally offset with respect to the axis of said coil to an extent whereby said insulation base does not overlie a projection of said coil in the axial direction of said coil, and wherein said insulation base is located outside of the axial extremity of said coil in the axial direction of said coil, thereby locating said insulation base and contact plates in widely spaced relation. 

1. A solenoid assembly comprising: a coil for actuating a driven member; a body member carrying said coil and said driven member; a connector for an external conductor; a contact piece spaced apart from said connector and connected to said coil; an insulation base carried by said body and overlapping said body for supporting said connector and said contact piece; and a plurality of contact plates carrying different types of circuit means and adapted to be selectively combined and interconnected with said insulation base and to overlap said body, said insulation base maintaining said contact plates spaced from said coil, said contact plates each including connecting means coupled to said circuit means of different types, said connecting means electrically coupling with said connector and contact piece when said plates are combined with said insulation base such that the circuit means of a contact plate bridges said connector and said contact piece when a selected contact plate carrying said circuit means is combined with said insulation base.
 2. The solenoid assembly according to claim 1 wherein said contact plates are provided with a safety device, an indicator, a rectifier, a plug-socket connector, respectively, and are combined with said insulation base singly or in coMbination.
 3. The solenoid assembly according to claim 1 wherein said connecting means of said plurality of contact plates comprise interfitting contact pieces at their mating surfaces.
 4. The solenoid assembly according to claim 1 wherein said connecting means of each of said contact plates comprises a projection adapted to engage between said connector and contact piece, and a pair of conductors respectively contacting said connector and contact piece, said conductors being coupled to said circuit means of said contact plate.
 5. The solenoid assembly according to claim 4 wherein each of said connecting plates comprises receptacle means for receiving a projection of another of said contact plates.
 6. The solenoid assembly according to claim 5 wherein said receptacle means includes contact means adapted to electrically couple to said contact piece and said connector, and adapted to receive said projection means of another contact plate for electrically connecting the circuit means carried by said another contact plate with said contact piece and connector.
 7. The solenoid assembly according to claim 1 wherein said insulation base is spaced from said coil and is laterally offset with respect to the axis of said coil.
 8. The solenoid assembly according to claim 7 wherein said insulation base is laterally offset with respect to the axis of said coil to an extent whereby said insulation base does not overlie a projection of said coil in the axial direction of said coil, and wherein said insulation base is located outside of the axial extremity of said coil in the axial direction of said coil, thereby locating said insulation base and contact plates in widely spaced relation. 